Depicting display regions on a desktop

Abstract

A method for depicting display regions on a desktop. Data for creating and displaying a display region having windows is received. A display region having windows is created. An assignment of the display identifier to the display region having windows is saved. A display identifier of the display region having windows at a predetermined location in a hierarchical list is saved. The display region having windows on the desktop/monitor/screen is displayed. Data for creating and displaying a windowless display region is received and the windowless display region is created on the basis of the data received. The windowless display region is displayed in front of the display region having windows, when the location of the display identifier of the windowless display region in the hierarchical list is before the location of the display identifier of the display region having windows, and vice versa.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for depicting a display region on a desktop, the method comprising:
 receiving data for creating and displaying a display region having windows; 
 creating the display region having windows on the basis of the data received therefor, assigning a unique windows handle from a predetermined group of windows handles and a unique display identifier which is different from the Windows handles, 
 saving the assignment of the display identifier of the display region having windows to the display region having windows; 
 saving the display identifier of the display region having windows at a predetermined location in a hierarchical list; 
 displaying the display region having windows on the desktop; 
 receiving data for creating and displaying a windowless display region; 
 creating the windowless display region on the basis of the data received therefor; 
 assigning a unique display identifier which is different from the windows handles; 
 saving the assignment of the display identifier for the windowless display region to the windowless display region; 
 saving the display identifier of the windowless display region at a predetermined location in the hierarchical list; and 
 displaying the windowless display region on the desktop, wherein the windowless display region is displayed in front of the display region having windows, when the location of the display identifier of the windowless display region in the hierarchical list is before the location of the display identifier of the display region having windows and vice versa. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving data for creating and displaying a further display region; 
 creating the further display region on the basis of the data received therefor, assigning a unique display identifier which is different from the windows handles; 
 saving the assignment of the display identifier of the further display region to the further display region; 
 saving the display identifier of the further display region at a predetermined location in the hierarchical list; and 
 displaying the further display region on the desktop relative to the display region having windows and the windowless display region corresponding to the hierarchical location of the display identifier of the further display region relative to the hierarchical location of the display identifier of the display region having windows and the hierarchical location of the display identifier of the windowless display region in the hierarchical list. 
 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , further:
 receiving data for creating and displaying a first further windowless display region within a display region already displayed on the desktop; 
 creating the first further windowless display region on the basis of the data received therefor; 
 assigning a unique display identifier which is different from the windows handles; 
 saving the assignment of the display identifier of the first further windowless display region to the first further windowless display region; 
 saving the display identifier of the first further windowless display region at a predetermined location in a hierarchical sub-list associated with the already displayed display region; 
 displaying the first further windowless display region within the display region already shown on the desktop; 
 receiving data for creating and displaying a second further windowless display region within the display region already displayed on the desktop; 
 creating the second further windowless display region on the basis of the data received therefor; 
 assigning a unique display identifier which is different from the windows handles; 
 saving the assignment of the display identifier of the second further windowless display region to the second further windowless display region; 
 saving the display identifier of the second further windowless display region at a predetermined location in the hierarchical sub-list associated with the already displayed display region; and 
 displaying the second further windowless display region within said display region already displayed on the desktop, 
 wherein the first further windowless display region is displayed in front of the second further windowless display region when, in the sub-list assigned to the already displayed display region, the location of the display identifier of the first further windowless display region lies hierarchically before the location of the second further windowless display identifier of the display region having windows and vice versa. 
 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the display region already displayed on the desktop, in which further windowless display regions are displayed, is windowless. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 saving the display identifier of a newly created display region at the hierarchically top location of the hierarchical list. 
 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 saving the display identifier of a display region, which is selected with a pointing device on the desktop, at the hierarchically top location in the hierarchical list. 
 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 arranging a display region at a predetermined location on the layout; 
 determining all the regions of the other display regions displayed on the desktop that overlap with the display region located at the predetermined location; and 
 clipping out these overlapping regions of the other display regions so that the display region arranged on the layout at the predetermined place is completely visible. 
 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 continuously receiving data for updating the displays of a display region shown on the desktop; 
 updating the displays of the display region displayed on the desktop on the basis of the continuously received data; and 
 minimizing or hiding the display region in response to a user command, 
 wherein for the minimized or hidden display region, the continuous reception of data is interrupted. 
 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the display regions are used to display measurement data elements for real-time measurement data in hardware-in-the-loop applications.